The present invention relates to vehicle communication methods, systems and protocols.
Several different communication protocols are used in passenger car and heavy vehicle automotive applications. These protocols include SAE J1939, SAE J1708 and ISO-9141. Most applications do not use all these protocols at the same time.
To meet different communication protocol requirements, an engine manufacturer may specify an engine control module (ECM) to include multiple communication circuits, each communication circuit dedicated for communicating in a corresponding protocol. Placing multiple communication circuits in one ECM disadvantageously makes the ECM larger and adds a cost burden to engine control.
Alternatively, an engine manufacturer may develop multiple models of ECMs, where each model is dedicated to one of a plurality of different communication protocols. Specifying several different ECMs disadvantageously causes additional development cost, additional fixed support cost, and higher piece cost due to redundant validation work, support of multiple models, and purchasing of ECMs at lower volume.